Compare LGBT Rights in Canada, Ireland, Poland, South Africa, & China

Equality Index ?
79 / 100
70 / 100
51 / 100
67 / 100
52 / 100
Legal Index ?
96 / 100
80 / 100
58 / 100
77 / 100
39 / 100
Public Opinion Index ?
61 / 100
59 / 100
43 / 100
57 / 100
66 / 100
Law
Homosexual activityLegal
Since 1969
Legal
Since 1993
Legal
Since 1970
Legal
Since 1998
Legal
Since 1997
Same-sex marriageLegal
Since 2005
Legal
Since 2015
Foreign same-sex marriages recognized only
Since 2025
Legal
Since 2006
Other type of partnership
Since 2017
Censorship of LGBT issuesNo censorshipNo censorshipNo censorship
Since 2025
No censorship
Since 1990
State-enforced
Since 2016
Right to change legal genderLegal, no restrictions
Since 2017
Legal, no restrictions
Since 2015
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Since 2025
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Since 2004
Legal, but requires surgery
Since 1986
Gender-affirming careLegal
Since 2025
Legal, but restricted for minorsLegal
Since 1996
LegalRestricted
Legal recognition of non-binary genderRecognized
Since 2019
Not legally recognizedNot legally recognizedNot legally recognizedNot legally recognized
Hate crime protectionsSexual orientation and gender identity
Since 2017
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Since 2024
No protectionsNo protectionsNo protections
LGBT discriminationIllegal
Since 2017
Illegal in some contexts
Since 2015
Illegal in some contexts
Since 2018
Illegal
Since 1996
No protections
LGBT employment discriminationSexual orientation and gender identity
Since 2017
Sexual orientation only
Since 1999
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Since 2022
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Since 1995
No protections
LGBT housing discriminationSexual orientation and gender identity
Since 2015
Sexual orientation only
Since 2000
No protectionsSexual orientation and gender identity
Since 1996
No protections
Same-sex adoptionLegal
Since 2011
Legal
Since 2015
Single onlyLegal
Since 2010
Single only
Intersex infant surgeryNot bannedNot bannedNot bannedNot bannedNot banned
Serving openly in militaryLegal
Since 1992
Legal
Since 2007
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Since 1991
Legal
Since 1996
Ambiguous
Blood donations by MSMsLegal
Since 2022
Legal
Since 2022
LegalLegal
Since 2014
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Since 2012
Conversion therapyBanned
Since 2022
Not bannedNot bannedNot bannedNot banned
Equal age of consentEqual
Since 2019
Equal
Since 1993
Equal
Since 1932
Equal
Since 2007
Equal
Since 1997
Public Opinion
Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors
(World Values Survey, 2017-2022)
90% Did not mention homosexuals
10% Mentioned homosexuals
Region not surveyed
65% Did not mention homosexuals
28% Mentioned homosexuals
Region not surveyed
28% Did not mention homosexuals
71% Mentioned homosexuals
Justifiability of homosexuality
(World Values Survey, 2017-2022)
62% Justifiable
10% Not justifiable
Region not surveyed
22% Justifiable
52% Not justifiable
Region not surveyed
7% Justifiable
80% Not justifiable
Views on same-sex marriage or other legal recognition
(Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
82% Support
8% Against
Region not surveyed
66% Support
22% Against
71% Support
15% Against
63% Support
19% Against
Views on same-sex couples' right to adopt
(Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
81% Agree
13% Disagree
Region not surveyed
33% Agree
58% Disagree
69% Agree
23% Disagree
66% Agree
30% Disagree
Opinion on same-sex couples as parents
(World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
72% Agree
9% Disagree
Region not surveyed
12% Agree
57% Disagree
Region not surveyed
12% Agree
60% Disagree
"Should society accept homosexuality?"
(Pew Research Center, May–October, 2019)
85% Yes
10% No
Region not surveyed
47% Yes
42% No
54% Yes
38% No
Region not surveyed
Perceived prevalence of discrimination against sexual orientation (European Union)
(Eurobarometer, May 2019)
Region not surveyed
44% Rare
48% Widespread
43% Rare
49% Widespread
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Perceived prevalence of discrimination against transgender people (European Union)
(Eurobarometer, May 2019)
Region not surveyed
36% Rare
50% Widespread
44% Rare
42% Widespread
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Acceptance of same-sex relationships (European Union)
(Eurobarometer, May 2019)
Region not surveyed
80% Agree
14% Disagree
49% Agree
46% Disagree
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Support for transgender people changing legal gender (European Union)
(Eurobarometer, May 2019)
Region not surveyed
65% Yes
22% No
41% Yes
40% No
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Support for same-sex marriage (North and South America)
(AmericasBarometer, 2016-2017)
76% Approve
24% Disapprove
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Acceptance of gay people in public office (North and South America)
(AmericasBarometer, 2016-2017)
80% Approve
20% Disapprove
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors
(Afrobarometer, 2014–2016)
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
67% Tolerate
32% Not tolerate
Region not surveyed
Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors
(Afrobarometer, 2016–2018)
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
70% Tolerate
28% Not tolerate
Region not surveyed
Support for same-sex marriage in Central and Eastern Europe
(Pew Research Center, June 2015-July 2016)
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
32% Favor
59% Oppose
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
"Should society accept homosexuality?" (Eastern/Central Europe)
(Pew Research Center, June 2015-July 2016)
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
42% Yes
47% No
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
Justifiability of homosexuality
(World Values Survey, 2010-2014)
Region not surveyed
Region not surveyed
14% Justifiable
53% Not justifiable
17% Justifiable
45% Not justifiable
4% Justifiable
68% Not justifiable
"Should society accept homosexuality?"
(Pew Research Center, June, 2013)
80% Yes
14% No
Region not surveyed
42% Yes
46% No
32% Yes
61% No
21% Yes
57% No
Perceptions of local area as a "good place" for gay and lesbian people
(Gallup, 2013)
80% Good place
12% Not a good place
75% Good place
14% Not a good place
21% Good place
54% Not a good place
49% Good place
51% Not a good place
14% Good place
53% Not a good place
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